Abu Dhabi: Beneath the streets of Al Ain lie traces of communities that lived in the area thousands of years before the United Arab Emirates was founded.
Now it is the country’s first museum that tells their story.
Al Ain Museum was opened in 1969 by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, before the formation of the UAE. With the museum, he wanted to document the country’s heritage and protect its archaeological treasures.
Today, the museum is introducing a new generation to the region’s history. It does so through large archaeological collections, exhibitions and educational programmes.
Finds beneath the museum
When the museum was redeveloped, archaeological remains were discovered beneath its grounds. Archaeologists did not remove them, but carefully excavated and preserved them where they were found. They are now part of the visitor experience.
Among the finds are ancient aflaj channels, an irrigation system dating back to the Iron Age, and a stone tomb from the late Pre-Islamic period.
The finds show how people lived and built settlements in Al Ain across different eras. Water was crucial. The aflaj system made it possible to cultivate the land and settle permanently in an otherwise harsh desert landscape. The museum’s collections span more than 8,000 years.
Close to the fort and the oasis
The museum sits next to the historic Sultan Fort and Al Ain Oasis. The area is part of the Cultural Sites of Al Ain, which are on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Here are ancient settlements, burial grounds, irrigation systems and historic buildings.
This means visitors can see an archaeological object inside the museum and then step outside to see the places where the story began.
The museum also tells the story of the area’s more recent history. The exhibition “Harat Al Hosn: A Landscape of Memory” is about the neighbourhood that once surrounded the museum. It uses archival photographs, maps and oral histories to portray daily life for the families who lived there and their close relationship with the oasis.
Visitors are encouraged to contribute their own photographs and recollections, so the museum can continue documenting the neighbourhood’s history.
Crafts and conservation
The museum is not just for tourists. Schoolchildren and families visit, as do researchers and heritage enthusiasts. It offers guided tours, archaeological talks and practical workshops.
Children and young people can try the traditional Emirati crafts Talli and Sadu, which have been passed down through generations. Through the “Conservator in Action” programme, visitors can also watch specialists care for historical objects and learn about the work involved.
Behind the galleries, the museum has its own research and conservation facilities, which support archaeological study and the long-term care of the collection.
Continuing Sheikh Zayed’s vision
When Sheikh Zayed founded the museum in 1969, it was during a period of rapid change in the country. He wanted to make sure the evidence of the past was not lost.
That responsibility remains central to the museum today. It continues to advance archaeological research and to find new ways of sharing Al Ain’s history.
For visitors, the museum offers insight into everyday life in Al Ain across thousands of years. For younger generations, it is a connection to the place they call home. And as new research emerges and more stories come to light, the museum is to remain a place where history can be studied, shared and preserved for generations to come.